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The Rolex Miami OCR has concluded for another year and the Irish sailors leave Florida with two very encouraging results. Racing took place on Biscayne Bay today in the same light conditions that have prevailed throughout the week.

Peter O’Leary and David Burrows finished 5th overall in the Star class. A 4th place finish in their double points medal race saw them move up one final place on the leader board. Their performance has remained consistent throughout the regatta claiming a total of 9 top 10 results from their 11 races.

Also sailing in her medal race today was Annalise Murphy. She finished in 9th overall in the Laser Radial fleet following a 10th in her final race of the championship. Annalise also performed well during the regatta including two race wins and three other top 10 results.

ISA Performance Director, James O’Callaghan remarked “It is great to see the improvement in consistency in the light challenging conditions we’ve had all week. Both teams will take away a lot from this regatta in terms of their on-going preparations”.

All results are provisional.

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27th January 2012Day 5 Report

Peter O’Leary and David Burrows, the Irish Star duo, were the first from Team Ireland to qualify for the Medal Races taking place tomorrow. Today was the last day of fleet racing at the Rolex Miami OCR. Conditions were not as favourable on Biscayne Bay as previous days with moderate winds of 9 to 12 knots in the morning, lightening to 6 to 10 knots in the afternoon. The pair had a superb performance coming 2nd and 3rd in their two races. They round up the fleet racing in 6th overall, poised for tomorrow’s final race. The top 10 from each fleet progress to their respective Medal Races where they will sail one final race. This race will be worth double points so it’s all still to play for.

Next to qualify was 21 year old Annalise Murphy. She had a strong performance today first placing 8th and then finishing up her final fleet race with a race win, her second of the regatta. She moves up two places to 7th overall in the fleet of 60 Laser Radials and earns her place in the Medal Race tomorrow.

ISA Performance Director, James O’Callaghan enthused “While a medal is likely to be just out of reach, it is really satisfying to have seen both team’s performances improving as the week progressed”.

Independent non-carded sailor James Espey finished his racing in the regatta today. He was competing in the 78 boat Laser feet, the largest in the championship. Espey scored a 26th and a 20th which left him a respectable 24th overall.

The Irish Paralympic team in the Sonar class have just finished their final day of racing at the Rolex Miami OCR. The 11 boat fleet had two races today to decide the medal winners. John Twomey, Ian Costello and a local sailor who is standing in for their third team member Anthony Hegarty finished in 8th overall. They had a 7th and a 9th in their two races.

Conditions remained light during Day 4 of the Rolex Miami OCR with sunny skies and winds of between 9 to 12 knots. First on the racecourse were the Star fleet and Irish duo Peter O’Leary and David Burrows. For the third day in a row they scored top 10 results with a 7th and a 6th. They will enter tomorrow’s final day of racing, before Saturday’s Medal Race, in 7th overall. The final two races tomorrow will decide the top 10 boats and the competitors for the Medal Race, and eventually the podium finish. Annalise Murphy in the Laser Radial is also in serious contention for Saturday’s Medal Race. She remains 9th overall having finished 6th and 27th today with the 27th being discarded.

The Irish Paralympic team in the Sonar class had their best day so far of the championship with two 5th places. A protest yesterday evening resulted in their disqualified from yesterday’s final race but that didn’t prevent them from moving up one place on the leader board to 7th overall. While independent non-carded Laser sailor James Espey slipped to 24th overall following two 35th places.

Day 3 at the 2012 Rolex Miami OCR ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta and once again the Irish sailors continued to progress further up the leader board. Three of the teams had their best day of the regatta so far which included a race win and four other top 10 results. Conditions remained light on Biscayne Bay with a steady breeze of between 9 and 13 knots.

Currently sitting in 6th overall, up three places from yesterday, are Peter O’Leary and David Burrows in the Star class. Having found their form yesterday they continued to achieve top results today finishing 3rd in both of their races. They are now 6th overall allowing for their discard which came in to effect after their fifth race today. Similarly Annalise Murphy in the Laser Radial also found her form with her first race win of the regatta followed by an 11th. Discard applied, Annalise moves up two positions to 9th overall.

Independent non-carded Laser sailor James Espey’s accomplishments were no different as he had two top 10 results from the 78 boat fleet. He maintains his position at 19th overall following a 6th and a 9th in his two races.

The Irish Paralympic trio John Twomey, Anthony Hegarty and Ian Costello in the Sonar class unfortunately slipped one place to 8th overall following a 6th and a 7h in their two races, identical to yesterday’s results.

The Irish sailors had to battle with light conditions of between 5 and 9 knots at the second day of the 2012 Rolex Miami OCR ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta but that didn’t prevent the ISA Olympic Squad from climbing the leader board.

Improving on their results from yesterday were Peter O’Leary and David Burrows in the Star class who have now entered the top 10 and sit in 9th place overall. Their first race of the day saw them finish in 15th place but they remained at the top of the fleet for their second race finishing in 2nd place. Elsewhere Annalise Murphy moved from 13th to 11th overall in the Laser Radial fleet. She finished in 8th and 19th respectively in her two races of the day amongst the 60 boat fleet.

Independent non-carded sailor James Espey remains in the top 20 in what is the largest of the classes, the 78 boat Laser fleet. He is currently 19th overall having secured a 6th followed by a 14th.

The Irish Paralympic trio John Twomey, Anthony Hegarty and Ian Costello in the Sonar class slipped one place from 6th to 7th overall following a 6th and a 7h in their two races.

Racing has begun in Miami for the seven Irish sailors competing in the 2012 Rolex Miami OCR which will conclude this Saturday the 28th.

The Irish Star class duo, Peter O’Leary and David Burrows, settled in to the Florida waters with a 10th and a 12th in their two races of the day putting them 11th overall. Meanwhile in the Laser Radial class, fellow ISA Olympic Squad member Annalise Murphy concluded her first day amongst the 60 boat fleet in 13th overall having secured a 17th and a 19th in her two races of the day.

Independent non-carded sailor James Espey got off to a consistent start in the largest of the classes, the 78 boat Laser fleet. He sits 23rd overall having finished 12th in both of his races of the day.

Also competing are the Irish Paralympic sailors John Twomey, Anthony Hegarty and Ian Costello in the Sonar class. The trio lie in the middle of the 11 boat fleet at 6th overall following a 9th and a 4th in their two races.